


Rebirth

by PastTheVaultedDoors



Series: Afterlife [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Dark Side Of Dimensions, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23339551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastTheVaultedDoors/pseuds/PastTheVaultedDoors
Summary: Seto Kaiba is tired of only getting ghostly kisses in Pharaoh Atem's afterlife.So he hacks fate.
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto, Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi
Series: Afterlife [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678495
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	Rebirth

“You’re taking this remarkably well,” Kaiba’s smug voice echoed from across the hall. His boots clipped on the stone floor as he approached the other.

“Not really, my reactions have just come full circle is all,” Atem replied, still sprawled on the ground, naked, and smearing paint under his body. He took a moment to examine the runes, a language he didn’t understand.

At least he had his own body, tanned and strong, but cold on the cathedral floor. As Kaiba’s approached, Atem finally looked up. He didn’t care that he was naked and covered in nothing but the purple paint, he was certain that the glare he delivered towards Kaiba was one to strike fear into his so-called rival.

“I’m not supposed to be here,” Atem huffed as he finally moved his limbs. They felt weak for all the strength he knew he had, but he held no shame when he got to his feet. Legs apart, pelvis cantered forward, fists on said hips in a power stance. Absolutely no shame, and the piercing blue stare of Kaiba’s was fixed on his eyes. “You know this.”

“I do what I want,” Kaiba groused right back, even as he stopped a few feet from the summoning circle. He, too, adopted his own power stance, only his defenses were up with tightly crossed arms.

“You’re not a god,” Atem huffed, shaking his head. “I’ve already died.”

“Then it’s your lucky day,” Kaiba’s voice cut through the echo of the church like an arrow. “Welcome back, Pharaoh.” Then Kaiba swept low into a mocking bow, his white coat flaring dramatically around him.

Atem growled low and spoke Kaiba’s name dangerously. The effective noise bounced back, multiplying the threat. He took a step forward but it was too late to realize just how weak his limbs were. The muscles in his thighs weren’t cooperating, and his feet felt too unfamiliar--almost numb--to know when it touched the ground.

The Pharaoh went from a strong, statue to a Yugi-like flailing mess. His arms pinwheeled and his stoic expression changed to wide eyes and gritting teeth as he knew he’d be falling flat on his face. In the next moment, his cheek thud against hard muscle

“I’m not trying to play god,” Kaiba said smugly above him, hands holding firm to Atem’s shoulders where he caught him. “But I am hacking the system.”

Then something remarkable happened; Kaiba touched him, gently, fingertips smoothed along Atem’s cheek until they slipped under his chin, urging him to look up. Atem gasped, eyes flicking up to meeting arrogantly smug blue.

They had touched softly before, in Atem’s afterlife, after the Duels with chaste kisses and gentle touches until Kaiba’s limits were met and his technology forced him back into the world of the living. Those touches could never be more than whispers, less the molecules of his technology would break apart and there would be only air.

This, however, this was solid. It sent a shiver up Atem’s spine, then back down, and he suddenly--finally--considered the fact that he was naked in a drafty cathedral.

“I can feel you,” Atem said, grasping the hand on his chin. “Kaiba...” Even he could hear the amazement in his voice as it grew quiet. Despite there being just the two of them it felt like an exciting secret that only they should share.

“I’ve waited long enough,” Kaiba cupped his cheek now, his thumb ran along Atem’s cheekbone as if he, too, couldn’t believe what was under his fingers. “You told me then that I wasn’t yours; that it wasn’t my time.” Kaiba recalled the first time they stepped away from Dueling and Atem had showed him his garden in the afterlife. “Instead, I rewrote your time to suit mine.”

Kaiba’s smugness was radiating off his body. It was disgusting and beautiful to watch all at once. He held up his free hand, the one not cradling Atem’s cheek. There was a thin gold chain with a wadjet etched on it... just like a Millennium Item.

“Don’t tell me I can’t get what I want. Your heart now beats for as long as mine does.”

That would be shamelessly romantic if Kaiba hadn’t given his pompous cackle.

Gingerly reaching out, Atem touched the gold metal. It was warm to the touch, like it had it’s own breath. “You are giving me your lifetime,” Atem questioned, his voice still intimately quiet. “Sharing it?”

Atem glanced back up, and he wanted to kiss that egotistical smile right off his face. In fact, why wasn’t he doing that right now?

The Pharaoh gripped Kaiba’s coat and gave a hard tug. Never before had he bemoaned his height until this very moment. Kaiba only gave a small jerk, grunting and raising a brow in amusement.

He didn’t understand what Atem wanted. Sometimes, the brilliant CEO could be quite the social moron.

“Kiss me, you fool,” Atem finally demanded, tugging again.

And suddenly Kaiba was there. His mouth was warm and still curled up in a smirk, his hand slipped back from Atem’s cheek to cup the back of his head, and the other reached down to curl against the small of Atem’s back.

It was a dazzling kiss.

His mouth was warm and surprisingly soft; giving and greedy all at once.

How long they stood there, amid the smell of dust and echos, Atem had no idea, but had very little inclination to let go. He wrapped his arms around Kaiba’s shoulders, and would never admit to the moments where his toes lifted off the ground. How long in the making was this flesh and blood kiss?

The Pharaoh had thought that death had be the finality to separate them and only death would bring them back together.

Apparently, rebirth was in the mix of destiny.


End file.
